Circuit breaker actuator box



Feb. 23, 1965 M. G. ZAVERTNIK 3,171,007

CIRCUIT BREAKER ACTUATOR BOX Filed Aug. 17, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet l 75 '7 I I 36 ON 5 5 OFF OFF 42 411/ 11" J- f 38 lm/Eunm: 75 40 MBRSHALL G.ZAVERTNl/ 38 ON H OFF OFF {I ON 3#/ 40 37 M"??? .1 35 39 M I QTTORA/EY'S United States Patent 3,171,007 CIRCUIT BREAKER ACTUATOR BOX Marshall G. Zavertnik, St. Louis, Mo., assignor to Kiilark Electric Manufacturing Company, St. Louis, Mo., a corporation of Missouri Filed Aug. 17, 1961, Ser. No. 132,197 4 Claims. (Cl. 200-168) This invention relates to a circuit breaker actuator box and more particularly to an actuator box that will enclose and house any of the commercially available circuit breakers of the multiple switch type in an enclosure that is sealed in conformance to electrical specifications with actuator means accessible from outside the enclosure to open and close each switch of the circuit breaker.

. In general, the circuit breaker actuator box comprises an enclosure having a removable cover for providing access to the circuit breaker for service or removal thereof. The circuit breaker conventionally has one or more rows of switches having pivotal toggles for operating the switches. The cover of the enclosure has a plurality of trip levers corresponding in number to the number of switches. There are push rods connected to the trip levers and push levers connected to the push rods so that upon operation of the push levers the trip levers cause the switch toggles to pivot in the desired direction to open or close the corresponding circuit.

Thetrip levers that directly engage the switch toggles are so designed that they will seat properly on opposite sides of the toggle even though, when the cover is removed from the circuit breaker box, the trip levers happen to be out of proper position. The circuit breaker actuating box also includes guards surrounding each or" the push levers so that they will not be inadvertently operated and includes blank covers for replacing the push levers that correspond to switch toggles that are not to be operated.

A principal object of the invention is to provide a circuit breaker actuating box that is designed to accommodate and actuate the individual switches of any of the commercially available circuit breakers regardless of the number of switches in the particular circuit breaker used.

Another object of the invention is to provide a circuit breaker actuating box that is fool-proof in operation so that it can be operated by unskilled personnel.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a circuit breaker actuating box that is easy to install and automatically conforms itself to operating condition when the cover of the box is fixed in place.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a circuit breaker actuating box for opening and closing the individual switch toggles of a circuit breaker wherein the individual actuators for the switch toggles are operated by levers that are depressed for operation.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a circuit breaker actuating box having individual switch toggle actuators with guards for preventing inadvertent operation of the toggle actuators.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a circuit breaker actuator box with individual actuators for the switch toggles of the circuit breaker and with blank covers for replacing the accessible part of the actuators corresponding to switch toggles that are not to be operated.

Other objects and advantages will appear from the detailed description to follow and from the drawing.

In the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of the circuit breaker actuating box;

FIGURE 2 is an end elevation view of the circuit breaker actuating box;

FIGURE 3 is a view in section, on an enlarged scale, taken along the line 3-3 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary view in section, on an enlarged scale, of the upper portion of FIGURE 3, showing the details of the toggle switch operating assembly;

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary plan view, on an enlarged scale, of a portion of FIGURE 1 showing the assembly details of the trip levers and the guard;

FIGURE 6 is a plan view of a closed guard used at one end of each row of push levers;

FIGURE 7 is a side elevation View of the closed guard of FIGURE 6;

FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary plan view of the moment arm used in the toggle switch operating assembly;

FIGURE 9 is an end elevation view of the moment arm;

FIGURE 10 is a fragmentary side elevation view of the moment arm as viewed from the right sideof FIG- URE 8;

FIGURE 11 is a bottom view of a push lever;

FIGURE 12 is a plan view of a trip lever;

FIGURE 13 is a side elevation view of the trip lever of FIGURE 12;

FIGURE 14 is a side elevation view of a blank cover;

FIGURE 15 is a bottom view of the blank cover of FIGURE 14; and

FIGURE 16 is a plan view of an open guard.

The circuit breaker actuating box 2% consists of two halves, a lower support 21 and a cover 22. These parts of the box 20 are fastened together by a large number of bolts 23 that are positioned close enough together to satisfy the various electrical code requirements. The

box halves 21 and 22 are formed of a strong plastic with criss-crossing reinforcing ribs 24 and 25 on the inner surfaces of both the base 26 of the lower box half 21 and the top 27 of the cover 22.

The circuit breaker actuating box 20 is large enough to house a multi-element circuit breaker 28. The circuit breaker 28 is conventional to the extent that it has a plurality of toggle switches 29 and 369 for opening and closing the electrical circuits that pass through the circuit breaker 28. Often these toggle switches are arranged in two parallel banks or rows 25* and 30. However, the number of switches in each row 29 and 3t varies with the different circuit breakers and in any given circuit breaker 28, one or more of the switches 29 and may not be connected to an electric circuit. This invention is designed to operate any circuit breaker box 28, whether or not it has one or two banks of switches 29 and 3t and regardless of which ones of the switches 29 and 39 might be disconnected.

The cover 22 has two rows of evenly spaced, tapped hoies 33 through it. An elongated bushing 34 is adapted to be threaded into each of the holes 33, and each bushing 34 supports a number of separate parts as will be described. First, there are a plurality of rectangular lever guards 35 and 36. All of the guards 35 have three sides, including a iong side 37 and opposite ends 38. The corners 39 of the long side 37 are notched and the edges 4d adjacent the open side of the guard 35 are notched. The notches 39 on the side 37 of a guard 35 interlock with the notches 40 on the ends 38. The end guard 36 interlocks with the notches 46 on the end 38. The end guard 36 is a closed guard and is similar to guard 35 except that inaddition to the closed side 41 and the ends 42, the closed guard 36 has another side 43. One closed guard 36 is required for each row of guards. As can be seen in FIGURES 1 and 5, when these guards 35 and 35 are assembled in rows, they interlock with one another to define two rows of vertical enclosures having the walis 37,38, 4-1, 42 and 43.

Each of the guards 35 and 36 has at least a portion of a bottom wall 44 having a hole 45 through it for receiving the bushing 34. This bottom wall 44 is clamped between the head 46 of the bushing and the top 27 of the box cover 22.

The lower end 49 of-thebushing 34 is threaded and is of reduced diameter. A moment arm plate 50 (shown in FIGURES 8, 9 and extends the full length of each row ofguard 35 and 36 and isprovided with a plurality of holes '51. These holes 51 are spaced apart by distances equal to the spacing between the bushings 3450 that the plate can fit on to the lower ends of all of the bushings 34 of one of the rows with the lower ends 49 0f the bushings received within the holes 51 of the moment arm plate 50. Each of the moment arm plates 50 is locked to itsrespective bushings 34 by push nuts 52.

The moment arm plate 59 has a plurality of downwardly depending spaced arms 53 with each arm 53 being positioned between adjacent ones of the holes 51. There aresrnall holes 54 through the arms 53, and these holes 54 are coaxial for receiving an elongated rod 55 that extends the full length of the moment arm plate 50.

Each rod 55 supports a plurality of trip levers 56, as illustrated in FIGURES l2 and 13. These trip levers 56 have holes 57 through them near their tops for receiving the rod 55. Each of the trip levers 56 has a main body portion that is in the general shape of an inverted U with a pair of spaced arms 58 and 59. As can be seen in FIGURE 13, the lower end of the arm 58 has an inwardly facing head 60, the top 61 of which is cut back so that the head provides the innermost surface of the arm 58. Similarly, the lower end of the arm 59 has an inwardly facing head 62 with the top 63 of the bead 62 cut back. These arms 58 and 59 extend on either side of a switch toggle 29 or 3%). The beads 60 and 62 are spaced apart by such a distance that in either position of the'switch toggle 29 or 30 both of the beads 60 and 62 either touch or are close enough to the switch toggle to operate it as will be described. And the space 64 between the arms 58 and 59 is great enough to prevent contact between the trip lever 56 and the switch toggle 29 or 30-by any surface except the surface of one of the beads 60 or-62 as the trip lever is pivoted to operate the switch toggle in a manner to be described.

A bifurcated plate 65 extends laterally from the leg 59 of each trip lever 56. Each bushing 34 has a longitudinal hole 66 through it for receiving a trip rod 67. The trip rod 67 has a section 68 of reduced diameter adjacent its lower end and this section 68 is received within the space between the fingers'of the bifurcated plate 65 on the trip lever 56. As shown in FIGURE 4, the lowermost end 6 of each trip rod is enlarged relative to the reduced section 68 so that the trip rod 67 is blocked against release from the bifurcated plate 65, but it is free to slide laterally along the slotbetween the fingers of the bifurcated plate.

Each of the guards 35 and 36-has a pair of holes 70 through each side 37, 41 and 43. These holes 70 are coaxial and support a pivot shaft 71 that is locked in place by a pair of nuts 72 threaded onto each of its ends. As can be seen in FIGURE 1, these rods 71 extend all the way through each row of guards 35 and 36.

A push lever '75 having a downwardly depending boss 76 with a slot 77 through it fits within each guard 35 and 36. The slots 77 receive the shaft 71 so that these push rods can be rocked about the shaft 71.

There are a pair of downwardly projecting cars 78 toward one edge of each push lever 75, each pair of ears having holes through them for receiving a pin 80. The upper end of each trip rod 67 has a hole 81 through it and this upper end of the trip rod 67 is received between the cars 78 of a push lever. When the hole 81 is aligned with the holes in the cars 73, the pin 80 can be used to pivotally attach the trip rod 67 to the push lever 75.

An end 42 of each guard 35 and 36 has a tapped hole 84 through it. These tapped holes 84 can receive a lock out pin (not shown) that can be threaded through the lock out hole 84 into a position of interference with the pivotal action of the adjacent push lever 75.

For those toggle switches 29 or 30 that are not connected to a circuit, a blank cover 80 is provided. This cover 30 has an inner rectangular flange 81 for fitting alongthe inner side of a guard 35 or 36 and has a pair of ears 82 with holes -83'through them for receiving the shaft 71. If a toggle switch 29 or 30 is not to be operated, the push lever 75 correspondingv to that toggle switch is removed and replaged by ablank cover 80.

The use and eperanonor this circuit breaker actuating box are simple and foolproof because of the design of it. In preparingthe actuating box for use, the cover 22 is removed and the circuit breaker 28 that is to be used (thiscircuit breaker may be any one of the commercially available circuit breakers) is placed within the enclosure support 211.

The lower half 21.of the box 20 has a plug 85 that can be removed and replaced bythe threaded end of a wire conduit as is known in the art. The wires through such a wire conduit can be readily connected to the circuit breaker box 28 so that some or all of the switches 29 and 30 are connected to open and close individual electric circuits. It is notable that the cover 22 and the lower support half 21 of the box are of equal size so that when the cover is removed there is full access to the circuit breaker box 28 for easy wiring. It is also notable that the box or enclosure 20 is sufficiently large to house any circuit breaker box 28 with enough clearance to accommodate any numberof wires that might be encountered for connection to the circuit breaker box 28.

Next the cover 22 can befastened in place and this can be done without regard to the positions of the switch toggles 29 and 30 and the trip levers 56. The shape of the trip levers 56,,and more particularly the presence of the beads 60 and62 and their spacing, cooperates with the rectangularly shaped toggles 29 and 30 to force the trip lever 56 into proper relative position to the toggle 29 or 30. In other Words, as the cover 22 is drawn near the bottom half 21 of the box or enclosure 29, thosc trip levers 56 which happen to be pivotally oriented in the correct position with respect to theirswitch toggle 29 or 30 will automatically be in proper position relative to those toggles. The trip levers 56 'which are pivoted opposite to the position .that would correspond to their toggle 29 or 30 will bepivotedinto correct position when one of the beads60 or'62 that is the lowermost bead engages the top of the switch-toggle 29 or 30. That beadwill then be forcedto slide along the top of the toggle 29 or 30 and the trip lever 56 will be pivoted by the resulting camrniug action into theproper position. Consequently, when the bolts 23 are fastened and tightened, all of the trip levers 56 will be, properly aligned with the on or off position of their respective switch toggles 29 and 30.

In practice thepush levers 75 are marked with on and off designations. It istherefore a simple operation, understandable by. every man in the field, to open or close any switch of the circuit breaker 2-8 bysirnply depressing the appropriately marked end of the appropriate push lever 75 corresponding to the switch.

The circuit breakeractuating box is particularly adapted to operate upon any one of the conventional circuit breakers'regardless of the. number of toggle switches 29 and 30. It will operate upon circuitbreakers that. have only a single row of switches and it will operate upon circuit breakers that have some switches disconnected fromany circuit.

The blank covsr illustrated-in FIGURES14 and l5 is intended to replace the push lever 75 that corresponds to positions on the circuit breaker thathave no toggle switch. In order to install this blank cover, the push lever 75 is removed and the shaft'71 is'passed through the holes 83 of the blank cover. The shoulder 81' fits within the recess of the guard 35 or an with the outer rim of the blank cover overlying the upper edges of the guard.

Various changes and modifications may he made within the process of this invention as will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art. Such changes and modifications are within the scope and teaching of this invention as defined by the claims appended hereto.

What is claimed is:

1. A circuit breaker actuator box for operating a plurality of toggles projecting beyond a side of a circuit breaker, the actuator box comprising a container large enough to receive the circuit breaker, the container having an open side adjacent the side of the circuit breaker beyond which the toggles project, a cover for closing the open side to form an enclosure with the container for the circuit breaker, removable means for fastening the cover to the container, the cover being adjacent to but spaced from the toggles when the cover is fastened to the container, each toggle being pivotal between first and second positions upon the application of external forces to opposite operating sides thereof, a plurality of trip lever means on the cover to pivotally support trip levers, each trip lever extending within the enclosure to a position overlying the toggle and having opposed bearing surfaces adjacent the operating sides of the toggle, a plurality of push rods extending through the cover, each rod being positioned adjacent a trip lever and having an end in engagement with the trip lever to pivot the trip lever in opposite directions when the rod is recirpocated in opposite directions, a plurality of push levers pivotally supported by the cover outside the enclosure, each push lever having ends on opposite sides of its pivotal support with one end in engagement with the push rod, whereby the push rod is reciprocated in opposite directions when opposite ends of the push lever are pushed, the space between the opposed bearing surfaces on each trip lever and the are through which the trip lever pivots being such as to produce automatic alignment of each trip lever with its toggle regardless of whether such toggle is in its first or second position when the cover is mounted on the open side of the container.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein the pivotal support or" push levers has means to permit restricted sliding movement of the push levers.

3. The combination of claim 1 wherein the push levers are aligned in a row, a guard surrounding each push lever, a rod extending through the guards parallel to the row of push levers, each push lever being pivotally mounted on the rod.

4. The combination of claim 3 plus a guard cover for each guard to prevent operation of selective ones or" the push levers, each guard cover being mountable upon the rod.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,876,878 Douglas Sept. 13, 1932 1,924,691 Lofgren Aug. 29, 1933 2,180,501 Blood Nov. 21, 1939 2,237,530 Olley Apr. 8, 1941 2,542,533 Johansson Feb. 20, 1951 2,603,734 Petree July 15, 1952 

1. A CIRCUIT BREAKER ACTUATOR BOX FOR OPERATING A PLURALITY OF TOGGLES PROJECTING BEYOND A SIDE OF A CIRCUIT BREAKER, THE ACTUATOR BOX COMPRISING A CONTAINER LARGE ENOUGH TO RECEIVE THE CIRCUIT BREAKER, THE CONTAINER HAVING AN OPEN SIDE ADJACENT THE SIDE OF THE CIRCUIT BREAKER BEYOND WHICH THE TOGGLES PROJECT, A COVER FOR CLOSING THE OPEN SIDE TO FORM AN ENCLOSURE WITH THE CONTAINER FOR THE CIRCUIT BREAKER, REMOVABLE MEANS FOR FASTENING THE COVER TO THE CONTAINER, THE COVER BEING ADJACENT TO BUT SPACED FROM THE TOGGLE WHEN THE COVER IS FASTENED TO THE CONTAINER, EACH TOGGLE BEING PIVOTAL BETWEEN FIRST AND SECOND POSITIONS UPON THE APPLICATION OF EXTERNAL FORCES TO OPPOSITE OPERATING SIDES THEREOF, APLURALITY OF TRIP LEVER MEANS ON THE COVER TO PIVOTALLY SUPPORT TRIP LEVERS, EACH TRIP LEVER EXTENDING WITHIN THE ENCLOSURE TO A POSITION OVERLYING THE TOGGLE AND HAVING OPPOSED BEARING SURFACES ADJACENT THE OPERATING SIDES OF THE TOGGLE, A PLURALITY OF PUSH RODS EXTENDING THROUGH THE COVER, EACH ROD BEING POSITIONED ADJACENT A TRIP LEVER AND HAVING AN END IN ENGAGEMENT WITH THE TRIP LEVER TO PIVOT THE TRIP LEVER IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS WHEN THE ROD IS RECIPROCATED IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS, A PLURALITY OF PUSH LEVERS PIVOTALLY SUPPORTED BY THE COVER OUTSIDE THE ENCLOSURE, EACH PUSH LEVER HAVING ENDS ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF ITS PIVOTAL SUPPORT WITH ONE END TO ENGAGEMENT WITH THE PUSH ROD, WHEREBY THE PUSH ROD IS RECIPROCATED IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS WHEN OPPOSITE ENDS OF THE PUSH LEVER ARE PUSHED, THE SPACE BETWEEN THE OPPOSED BEARING SURFACES ON EACH TRIP LEVER AND THE ARC THROUGH WHICH THE TRIP LEVER PIVOTS BEING SUCH AS TO PRODUCE AUTOMATIC ALIGNMENT OF EACH TRIP LEVER WITH ITS TOGGLE REGARDLESS OF WHETHER SUCH TOGGLE IS IN ITS FIRST OR SECOND POSITION WHEN THE COVER IS MOUNTED ON THE OPEN SIDE OF THE CONTAINER. 